Friday, November 24, 2017

Wayne and I love living in our float cabin home on Powell Lake in all seasons. We especially enjoy the quiet months during fall and winter. Cozying up to the woodstove makes the rare snowy days very special. Several properties have recently sold, so don't wait too long. Purchasing our float cabin home was the best thing we ever did. Why don't you come up and see what Powell Lake has to offer.

Powell Lake Cabins and Properties

Are you interested in getting a cabin of your own? Here's an updated list of cabins and properties up the lake that are for sale. Some are through real estate agents, so you can get more information via their websites. Also, there's a unique opportunity to lease a float cabin, you pick the start date.

Powell Lake Cabin for Rent or Lease

CLASSIC FLOAT CABIN FOR RENT OR LEASE ON POWELL LAKE: An off-the-grid float cabin is available for rent by the day, week, month, or year. It comes fully furnished and ready for immediate use. Accommodations include two bedrooms plus a spacious loft, a large living room with woodstove, a kitchen with propane range and refrigerator, sink with a hand pump for easy access to lake water, composting toilet, and lots of outdoor deck space. It's located in a protected bay twenty-five minutes from the Shinglemill. Call now and be ready to experience all that Powell Lake has to offer. For more information, contact John at (604) 485-2471 (evenings only).

Powell Lake Cabins and Properties For Sale

CRAIGSLIST LISTING (10/19/2017): In a bay all its own, with rare sandy beaches you will find a large float cabin ready for you to use in all seasons. It has two stories with plenty of room for family and friends to visit on a warm summer day to enjoy sunning, swimming and fishing. It has 3 bedrooms, 1 1/2 baths and a large open concept living area with a pellet stove to keep you warm. Solar panels and a generator allow you to use this special floating home year round. All of this for $250,000. To contact the owner visit Craigslist at click here.

MLS LISTING: Jamie and Jason Zroback of BC Land Professionals has the "Ultimate Fly-in" Cabin listed. It's a float cabin on Frogpond Lake on Goat Island in the center of Powell Lake. This all-inclusive float cabin is accessible by plane or boat and vehicle via a logging road on the island. Just a few of the amenities include: main cabin, guest cabin, shop, propane and generator for power, 3 boats, and all the furnishings. This secluded cabin is one of only three float cabins on the lake. The cabin and its lease for occupation are priced at $199,000. Click here for more information and pictures. For more information, call Jamie at (604) 483-1605 or Jason at (604) 414-5577.

MLS LISTING: BC Land Professionals is offering a lakefront lodge. The property is 8.35 acres of Crown lease land with 1300 feet of lake frontage. There are 5 self contained cedar cottages: 3 two-bedroom and 2 one-bedroom. Each has a full bathroom with showers, sinks, toilets, and full kitchens with brand new appliances. Living and eating areas are fully furnished with wood stoves for heat. The fridge, stove, hot water and lighting are propane. Other buildings includes a wood fired Sauna and tool shed. The foreshore and docks are protected by log breakwater. The complete package is priced at $385,000. Click here for more information and pictures. For more information call toll free at 1-866-558-5263, the office at 604-694-7626 or mobile at (604) 483-1605.

Powell Lake Cabins for Rent

Powell Lake Land Cabins for Rent: This 8.35 acre lakefront property is 16 miles from the marina. Five one and two bedroom cabins all have: pressurized drinking water; septic for toilets, sinks and showers; and propane stoves, lights and hot water. Lounge on your cabin porch, enjoy the meadow, or go down to the lake to fish, swim or just relax. Access is by boat or floatplane only. Water taxi service is available if you don't have transportation of your own. Rates are based on the length of your stay. Go to www.cabin-powell-lake.com for more information or email at info@cabin-powell-lake.com.

Powell Lake Cabin ServicesPowell Lake Cabin Services: Already have a cabin up the lake? We are always looking for help with projects around ours. Our good friend (and float cabin neighbour) Justin Behan offers services such as cargo delivery, lumber packages, cubes, propane tanks, wood stoves, and anchor and rope supply. In addition, Justin is now a distributor for Sun-Mar composting toilets just like the one we installed in our new bathroom addition. For more information, call Justin at (604) 483-6527.Powell Lake Real Estate: Want a real estate agent that really knows float cabins? That's Harry Zroback (our man Harry who helped us get our cabin) from RE/MAX. Harry owns a cabin himself, so he's an excellent person to contact for all your "up the lake" real estate needs at 604-483-8333 or harry@powellriverrealestate.com.

Powell Lake Stories

Want to know more about life up the lake. Check out these books from Wayne's Coastal BC Stories series:

41 comments:

I love looking at these houseboats and imagining a different way of life... perhaps it will be my way of life in the future, when the children are grown and ejvig and I don't have to work anymore! It looks heavenly.

I've been reading your comments for some time now. I grew up in a float camp in the Smiths and Rivers Inlet area. Ready to get back to it! Wondering about the 5 cabin lease property. Do you pass it on the way to your place? Sorry...my knowledge of the lake is slim! Wondering how long it takes to get there, and how rough the dock etc. is, as it has been empty for quite some time. I look forward to your ongoing messages...especially the ones about gardening! My mom got quite creative, as did the other ladies of the camp. Fantastic luck with flowers, but not so much with veggies. Marcia

Hi Marcia - The lease property with the 5 cabins is farther up the lake from us. To get to our cabin it takes 25 minutes in a runabout so I am guessing it would be an additional 15-20 minutes to get to the property in a boat our size. I haven't been into the dock in over a year so I am not sure of the condition now, but then it had some weak spots and wood damage. As you said, things that have been left alone for a long time do tend to deteriorate. The same with the cabins. If you are interested, I would highly recommend contacting the agent and going up to look at the property. You would also want to see how much longer the lease runs and what the renewal requirements are. It was a commercial operation until the early 2000s. One interesting aspect is that it can be reached overland by a network of logging roads, but access from Powell River is quite restricted to quads and even that may be eliminated in the near future. But for backcountry exploration it is a big bonus. The center of the property was a huge grassy area surrounded by the cabins and then forest. If you are handy with restorations or have someone in the family it would be a good fixer-upper. If you had to pay for all the work to be done that might be another thing. Hope this helps. - Margy

Hello again! Hubbie and I are looking for some off grid land. Sister and her hubbie may be joining us. In touch with local realtors. Certainly would appreciate any suggestions you may have. Thanks. Picked up...I think it was 'Up The Lake' last time in P.R. enjoyed it very much. Marcia

As far as snow, starting at about our cabin the snow sticks and stays a bit longer than in town, but only slightly more. The elevation at lake level is just barely above sea level. The last two winters have been relatively mild, but there have been some with more snow and freezing weather. For us it is a welcome change. If we had grown up here maybe we'd have a different point of view.

There are quite a few locations where you can find off the grid properties especially north of town along the coast. Some are accessible by forest dirt roads and others are water access only. One real estate agency you might check out is BC Land Professionals. They are the same ones that are offering the Powell Lake Lodge. Here's a link to one in Okeover Inlet. http://www.bclandpro.com/Properties.php/Details/81

The agent we've used is Harry Zroback at ReMax. A link to him is in my post. Just tell him Wayne and Margy sent you. He'll take good care of you like he did us.

Hi Margy, thanks for stopping by. It has been a hard year and somewhat frustrating so getting to at least sleep in the cabin was a treat, unfortunately the "noseeums" found me rather quickly and I had to retreat for now.I currently am looking for the "perfect" stove to keep it cosy but not over heated. There will be a deck off the back where a NE composting toilet will be and a rainforest shower and cystern. I have been thinking of you and your windpower turbine you wrote about last year and thinking I can do the same here. This has been a much more frustrating process than I expected and that is saying a lot 'cause I don't frustrate easily. It has been a remarkable experience and I realize I know and am capable of much more than I think...I will never build with a partner again!!!!!Glad things are going well with you and I hope the weather gets warmer for your time up the lake, it has been extremely cool here.Smiles

Hi Margy, Likin' the pics of your garden float. How has the summer been there? We have tried to see the 5 cabin lease property, with realtors, twice. Once the boat would not start and once in got stormy and the lake was too rough. We are from Alberta and our time in P.R. is sadly brief each year, so not much chance to take a closer look.Question...what do you and the other float houses/cabins use as a water source? If you use creek/river/spring, do you need a permit? We're wondering if the dock is still solid enough to tie up at. Guess we'll find out if we get out there this fall. We'd need to build a dock and also a swim float. Know anyone with experience in building log/plank docks and floats?Thanks for your info and updates.Happy floating! Marcia

Hope this is the lucky trip for you. I still haven't been back to the property, so I don't know the condition. I do know when you leave cabins untouched that long they do deteriorate quickly. Same goes for the floats. They weren't in good shape when we were there several years ago. But I am sure you could find a spot to tie up until repairs could be made. Plus, if the real estate company is really trying to move the property I bet they have kept some things in working order.

I don't know what the property did for water. They must have had some kind of system with five cabins. We use the lake water after boiling for cooking, coffee, and of course, washing. For drinking water we prefer to take bottled water up. We don't need much, so a few jugs lasts us quite a while.

Our good friend is excellent at building cedar log floats, but I don't know if he is available for extra work. Another resource is Justin Behan. He has a business to build floats and cabins, and sells anchor rope, wood stoves and compost toilets. His number is in the post. The challenge has been to find a logging company willing to sell any. Maybe the old dock logs aren't so bad they can't be reused.

Thanks Margy. We've been wondering (thinking of kids and grandkids!) what the lake water temperature is like in the summertime...warm enough to swim, ski, etc., without a wetsuit? Also curious to know what the percentage of rainy days is. Should be able to find some weather stats somewhere. Your comments about snow were helpful too. They call it the "Sunshine Coast" But I hear there is a lot of rain.:)MarciaP.S. Reading "Up The Main". Interesting. Funny! Gives a sense of the area.

Every year is a bit different. This year in June and July the lake water was colder than normal because the weather was cooler. But on average, I would say the lake water is between 15-20 degrees C from July through August. On a good year you can swim in June and September. By October it is a bit chilly for my taste for lake baths. Kids and adults tube and ski lots on the lake. There are even a few seadoos. Usually July and August have more sun than rain, but this year we've had more rain than normal. It is typical to get a fire ban sometime in July due to lack of rain. Fall can be a nice time of year with a nice mix of sun and rain. By November, the winter storms arrive with wind and rain more frequent. That lasts usually through Easter when Spring brings more sun and storms that are less strong. We do get snow, but for the last two years it has been minimal. Three years ago we got several days of snow followed by a cold spell so it stuck on the ground for a few week. Usually, the snow melts in a few days. We do get cold nights, so ice is more prevalent than snow. We came from Southern California where there were no real seasons, so having distinct seasons has been exciting for us. There is nothing better than snuggling up in front of the wood stove while it rains (or snows) outside. Not at lake level, but up a few hundred feet you can cross country ski and snowshoe. Because the property you are looking at has access to logging roads (or at least it used to) you might be able to use a vehicle to get high enough for winter sports. - Margy

p.s. Our other name is the Raincoast. Have you read any of the Raincoast Chronicles books yet? They have lots of history of the area (but mostly the lower Sunshine Coast).

Haven't read the Raincoast Chronicles yet. Will check them out. Reading Adventures in Solitude by Grant Lawrence. Very funny! Thanks for the further info.We have spent a lot of years in Alberta...winters with temps to minus 50 C so are looking for someplace with milder weather. But dear hubbie is a prairie boy...not sure he can handle 5 months of rain and storm and cloud! Yes...the realtor tells us that the 8 acre property has a connecting road to the logging roads...very grown over, of course. Do you get any phone or internet service up the lake? Sorry if these are questions you have already answered in your blog. I need to spend some time and re-read. We are looking at float houses also. Wondering how they are taxed. Appreciate the info!

HI Marcia - We are on the ragged edge of cell phone coverage with my old phone with an external car antennae. I know some people have satellite phone and Internet. That is probably what would be needed that far up the lake. There is also a company in town that offers cell phone coverage extension antennas, but don't know if you are close enough for that. Float cabins have both lease and regional district taxes. That would probably be the same for the lease land property you are looking at. The lease for our cabin is about $500 a year and I think the taxes are about the same. The taxes are based on the assessed value of the cabin. Cabin leases were issued in about 2002 for most cabins for 20 years. We have about 10 years left before renewal. - Margy

Well, this was our lucky visit! We got up the lake on a totally gorgous day, and took a careful look at the 5 cabin property. Jason Z pointed out your place on the way up! The 5 cabins have been vandalized with furnishings stolen. Also, steps to decks are about had it, and the docks no longer exist. The alders have grown up and almost obscure the lake view, and the entire place is grown over. Having said that, we think it is stunning! Fell in love, in fact! Have been trying to negotiate a deal with the owner, but no luck so far:(It would take a lot of work and significant dollars to get back in shape, but what a great place. Thanks again for all the info you have shared and who knows? One day we might just see you up the lake! Marcia

Thanks for visiting my blog. As I am discovering yours, I realise that you must have the most peaceful life ever living on a water cabin. The landscape and trips on the lake must be amazing. I also love reflections, as I find them poetic and just peaceful. They offer many photographic opportunities. Take care.

Before we moved to Comox, we almost considered moving to Powell River. But with 2 ferries to visit Vacouver, would have been too expensive for us. But we would like to visit the area again one day soon.

Awesome scenery and an interesting lifestyle. I always thought living on the water would be interesting. I enjoyed reading all the comments. It sounds like a lot of people would like to do something like this.Have a wonderful weekend.

Have you dreamed of moving off the grid and living in harmony with nature? What will it take? How do you get started? Author Wayne Lutz shares valuable insights that will inspire and assist you in fulfilling your dream.

The book that started it all!

Head up Powell Lake to experience life in a float cabin, take a boat to Desolation Sound, ride a quad into the backcountry and fly overhead for a unique view of this incredible place. Read Up the Lakeby Wayne Lutz and then join us for the vacation of a lifetime. You may never want to leave.

Take a realistic look at life in a remote location where you make your own power, live in harmony with nature, and determine your own destiny. Read Off the Gridby Wayne J. Lutz and see how it works for a couple living in a Coastal BC float cabin.

Cabins float in a cut-off fjord of British Columbia’s south coast. One man tackles an on-going dream to construct a floating cabin on Powell Lake, from the water up – not his first, but his finest. Read Cabin Number 5by Wayne J. Lutz and experience it for yourself.

Ride "Up the Main"

Up the Main

Coastal BC Stories

Travel up the main logging roads for an unparalleled backcountry experience. Whether you go by ATV, motorcycle, mountain bike, car or on foot, you can find clear mountain streams, hidden lakes and uncrowded campsites. Read Up the Mainby Wayne Lutz and ride along with us.

Then head "Farther Up the Main"

Farther Up the Main

Coastal BC Stories

Stories of ATV exploration, hiking, and survival for the stout of heart and those who crave wilderness adventure. Set in remote Canada where people are isolated from the bustle of the surrounding world. Read Farther Up the Mainby Wayne J. Lutz and experience it for yourself.

Continue "Beyond the Main"

Join Wayne, Margy, John, and Powell River ATV Club members as they explore the Powell River backcountry by ATV. Read Beyond the Mainby Wayne J. Lutz for ideas about where to ride or just experience this exciting sport from the comfort of home.

And then explore "Powell Lake by Barge and Quad"

Join us for quad adventures to destinations on Powell and Goat Lakes only accessible by boat. Visit unique places where all-terrain vehicles can explore logging roads and trails in one of British Columbia’s most picturesque regions.

Boating on the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, and the islands to the north. Stories of the people and places of coastal British Columbia, where the mountains drop into the sea and lifestyles focus on self-reliance and a different sense of purpose. Read Farther Up the Straitby Wayne J. Lutz and experience it for yourself.

Come Fly "Up the Airway" and discover Coastal BC

Up the Airway

Coastal BC Stories

For the pilot and adventurer at heart. Fly high over beautiful Canadian lakes, forests and inlets. Land at remote strips and camp under starry skies. In addition to BC, travel to the Arctic Ocean, Hudson Bay, Canadian prairies and Pacific Northwest for a unique travel experience.

Come to BC for Winter Fun

Up the Winter Trail

Coastal BC Stories

Your winter holiday plans won't be complete without a visit to Powell River and its uncrowded winter vacation opportunities. Hike, snowshoe, cross country ski - we have it all and more. Want a preview? Read Up the Winter Trailby Wayne Lutz.

Product Reviews

The Powell River Books Blog is designed to promote the books written by Wayne J. Lutz. On occasion, reviews of other products or services are included as informational posts. No cash or in-kind payment has been received for any of those posts.

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